


Reunion

by Sickdisgusting



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2018-12-20 00:46:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11909718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sickdisgusting/pseuds/Sickdisgusting
Summary: Ziggs and Rumble were friends in their younger days. Now they are more apart than ever, can they bridge that gap again or will the trauma on both sides keep them apart?





	1. Meeting

“Runt!”

The yordle boy was tossed to the ground as casually as an unwanted shopping bag, a small stream of blood running from his nose, leaving his light blue fur a dark shade of purple. The small boy looked his attacker in the eye, “You know I won right! You can't be that dumb.” He was on the ground, surrounded by four other boys each about his age.

The other boys laughed,  “Don't you realize It doesn’t matter if you won or not?” said the largest of the yordle boys, his name was Grail, a year ago he was one of the few people Rumble would have called a friend. 

"Now. Give me the money, it's mine." He said with the closest a yordle could approach to a growl.

They were in one of their old hangout spots, it was a small clearing near a bridge over a brook that ran through their small neighborhood. Not long ago they would play card games or share comics down here in this secluded area. Now though much of charm of the place had gone, Rumble simply went here out of habit and the small hope he could regain his dwindling friendships.

Upon reflection later in life. This worked out about as well as anything else that Rumble did.  

“So Runtle, what's it gonna be. The cash or do I start ripping out pieces of that trashy haircut of yours?” He gave his threat weight with a sharp tug to his signature mohawk. Rumble grunted at the pain, resisting the urge to cry out. The other three boys just watched, their smiles would join a choir of others when he got older. The people who doubted him, who laughed at him.

After what seemed several agonizing minutes, Grail let him go and held his hand out expectantly. Instead of forking over his small bit of money Rumble growled in defiance. He leaped up taking a swing at the bully, Grail easily dodged the hook and tackled the much smaller yordle until he was firmly in a headlock.“Check his pockets!” the bully cried. 

The blue yordle couldn’t move and could barely breathe, “Let...me...go...or...you..will be sorry!” The response was laughter. They surrounded him and started trying to dig into his pockets.

 

Then he bit down.

 

“Argh! Stop!” He released the blue boy and gripped his arm, where the red indent of teeth marks could be seen even through his fur.

Rumble coughed and took an offensive stance, “Yeah, that's right! Any of you other pipsqueaks want some! I’ll take you all on.”

“You guys get his legs, I’ll take his arms.” Grail shouted to his friends before he was interrupted by a new voice, more manic than angry.

“Hey! Leave him alone!” 

The other boys turned to see another yordle approach, he was in worn clothing and his brown fur was wildly unkempt and was slightly singed. He carried a small backpack that he kept securely taut to his shoulders. But was most distinctive about this one, was the wild grin he had on his face at all times. 

“Hey watch out guys it’s the Psycho!” Grail pointed.

“Your dad kick you out for burning down his shed?” One of his friends laughed.

“Hey, psycho, you bite anybody lately?”Another added. 

The brown yordle waved it off and with a smile, he approached the small crowd. He had something small and metal in his hand. He flicked it open, ran the flame on the lighter and snapped it shut   **_Chik... Chik..._ **

Rumble cursed his own luck. He recognized him, it was  _this_ kid.

Grail approached the brown one puffing his chest up, “You looking to try something, I’m not scared of some pyro freak.” **Chik… Chik...**

“Do you know what burning fur smells like?” He kept smiling, his posture relaxed. Grail stiffened.

_**Chik… Chik...** _

“Do ya?”

The large boy stepped back and with a loud ' _gulp'_ , he hurriedly motioned to his friends to leave. “Aight, let's go. Let the freak and the runt go play patty cake or whatever.” They scattered and made for the road, running straight and fast without looking back at the crazed individual they had just encountered.

“Yeah! That’s what I thought!” The brown yordle cheered as he dusted himself off. He then turned to the wounded Rumble, “Hey, you alright man?” He went to give him a hand, the blue yordle ignored it and got up on his own.

“I had that handled" He snorted. "I can take care of a few bullies by myself!”

Ziggs backed up hands raised. “Of course, I just wanted the chance to give you some backup!” He replied, sarcasm dripping. “But seriously, you alright?”

“I’ve had worse.” Rumble dusted himself off.

The other boy nods “Whelp! My jobs done, see ya around, tough guy.”

“Hey wait!”

The brown furred boy turned.

“Thanks. Even though I totally didn’t need the help.”

“No problem.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m Ziggs by the way, I’d like people to start using that instead of ya know, ‘the psycho’, it’s not exactly great for my reputation heh.”

“Didn’t you set a desk on fire last year?”

“Well it was asking for it!”

“Right, the inanimate object was asking for it, totally not psycho, at all.”

“At least I don’t walk around looking to get beat up!” Ziggs snickered.

“I look around to find people to beat up not the other way around! Bullies, evil doers, scrap metal thieves. I’m a regular hero that is what I am!” Said Rumble, providing a pause for dramatic effect and or applause from onlookers.

Ziggs whistled. “So Mr. Hero dude, what is your real name?”

“It’s Rumble. Better remember it, I’m gonna be an inventor someday. World famous.”

“Inventor huh? Heh, that's funny cause that's what I want to do too.”

Rumble shook his head. “Nuh uh, sorry dude, Rumble flies solo, I ain’t looking for any sidekick!” He took a running leap and landed on a nearby rock, striking a powerful pose, hand raised toward the sky in a declaration. “Rumble! Super Galaxy Ranger, using my vast array of hex-tech inventions to fight evil and right wrongs across space and time! With my genius, anyone joining me would just be a waste of space!”

Ziggs laughed, “Wouldn’t dream of it, Galaxy Defender Rumble.” He then noticed from his new vantage point that the various scrapes and wounds across Rumble had begun to open up slightly, small streams of blood inching down his legs. 

"Why you looking at me like that?" 

Ziggs grimaced. “So uh... you just gonna stand there till ya bleed out or are we gonna get you fixed up?" He patted his stomach then he added. "Oh! and some ice cream, I could use some ice cream.” 

Rumble having been taken from his fantasy drops the pose suddenly and jumps down to join the other yordle. “Yeah. That sounds good, long as you’re buying.” 

"What!? I saved your ass and you want me to pay?"

"Dunno if you noticed but I just got mugged pretty much."

"Oh yeah, heh that's right, sure no problem."

They left the bridge and ran for their very lives to the grocer. Leaving with pints of ice cream, bandages, and ice for Rumble's wounds. 

There is a single image placed firmly in both of their minds. It is of two adolescent Yordles trodding along a dirt path, talking and laughing as the heat of the midday summer sun bore down on their backs and their ice cream melted onto their fingers, their paths blissfully uncertain.

 


	2. Unsatisfied

Rumble's eyes crept open at the sound of his alarm, which had rung belligerently at him to wake up. Exhausted, he dragged himself off of the couch at the unusually early hour of 3pm. He stretched and let loose a long groan that echoed slightly off of the metal walls and bare concrete floors that he called his workshop. It was dark despite the mid afternoon sun, as he kept his windows tightly shut and he had no need to flip a light on as he knew every inch of the planned chaos of his home. 

As he stretched he winced slightly. It may have been mid summer, but the scarred patches of skin that remained exposed underneath his fur always seemed sensitive to even the slightest breeze as he got up, so he went to the bathroom and hid them under a thin layer of bandages before getting dressed. 

He went to the small kitchen nook in one corner of the room and dug for a coffee can that was still full and rinsed a mug out from the pile of dirty dishes. For his breakfast, two slices of plain bread with peanut butter. He thought about that dream he had while he prepared his morning coffee, of his former friend, and hated the fact he was thinking about it. Ziggs had been his friend through high school, he was his partner, even introduced him to Tristana, but he had left, left for that Academy of sellouts. And then...

 

_"Let me go!"  Mumbled. Large apish hands on his neck._

_"Little runts like you need to learn to respect your superiors." More hands, pinning him to a wall._

_Something hot pressed against his wrist, the smell of burnt fur._

 

"Ugh." His brain was yelling at him again. He needed caffeine.

The pot of coffee was done. He barely left it to cool before taking a hardy sip of the dark liquid, feeling the burn that ran against his tongue and throat. Now he was ready. He flicked on the light switch of his work shop, it was piled high with discarded tables of finished and discarded projects. His home was a mecca of junk and he preferred to keep it that way, aside from his couch, the kitchen, and a small bathroom, his entire world was one of experimentation and invention. In great heaps and piles were his inspirations, the scrap from the yard that for whatever reason Rumble saw value in, children's toys, sheet metal, washing machines, discontinued weapons, broken toasters, rusty motors, weed whackers, tractor tires, copper piping, it was there along with a million other components, doo dads, and just assorted seemingly useless junk.

But Rumble knew better, from childhood he excelled in finding the perfect fit on what amounted to intuition. It was a skill that his mother saw in him and his father cultivated by having him work at the family scrap yard and mechanic shop. Even years before he knew the physics, engineering, or even general mechanical aptitude to build something Rumble could figure out just by examining how something worked and then finding an equivalent. He built his first toaster at age 6 out of old tractor parts and some metal springs he found. 

He had built much more than that, he thought as he passed what was his greatest achievement. He called her Tristy, over 1 ton of not so solid steel, packed to the brim with weapons jury rigged from what he found around the scrap yard, it was his crowning work and he still remembers the elation he felt parading it around the city. He sighed, his coffee was almost done, it was time to get to work. 

Rumble liked to lose himself in his crafts. He did most of his calculations in his head and he rarely went off of a blueprint. For hours he welded metal, tightened screws, crawled around engines, and in general fought not to think about the past, his regrets, his anxieties, or his failures. Because he was Rumble, and who could have time dealing with that when he was just that awesome and confident? But when he went back to sleep what he pushed out could meet him with his guard down. Memories of an alleyway and a blowtorch, a woman that he drove away with an obsession, and a friend that he let leave him.

When Rumble awoke the next day he swore he could feel the burns again, but it was just that some of his bandages had come off in the night. He turned to the side and was in shock to see it was only 10am, what could have gotten him up at this ungodly hour? 

 

**Knock Knock**

 

With a sigh, Rumble remembered it was mail day. "One sec!" He said more harshly than was probably necessary. He did not bother to say 'hello' he simply opened his door and stuck his hand out at the mailman, collected a small number of letters and shut the door closed. 

It was mostly bills and junk mail. He took special offense that he had been sent an offer for a 'Revolutionary natural male growth potion' he had enough reminders in his life that he was short, thank you very much!

But it was the last letter that shook him slightly. He planned to throw it out as soon as he saw the Piltover postage but what stopped him was the hand writing on the front, it was sloppy and ran into itself, like the person writing was thinking three times faster than what he could actually write for. Rumble tore open the letter and what it said left him with no choice but to confront what he had been keeping so bottled up.

Ziggs was coming home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to http://drills-of-defiance.tumblr.com/ on Tumblr for much of the inspiration for Rumble's characterization as well as her headcanon work.


	3. Stress

"Don't you assholes know how to make anything! I ordered a large double iced mocha caramel latte with whip cream, soy milk, protein infusion, cocoa sprinkles and 4 shots of espresso!"

"Uh sir I'm pretty sure that is what I gave you?" 

Ziggs took a sip of the beverage beside him that barely fit in his small paws and addressed the human girl again. "I only taste 3 shots of espresso! Make me a new one!"

"Right away sir but policy says that we have to take the others in line first who have been very patient in waiting for their drinks." She pointed to the long line forming out the door of their small coffee shop. It was the morning rush and Ziggs had held them up for the last 10 minutes. 

"Oh screw this." He dug out the coins of pay and nearly chucked it at the poor woman as he stomped out of the coffee shop. 

"Next." The barista said with the monotone voice that belied the horrifying existential dread that is universal among those in the food service industry.  

* * *

 

"I just don't get it. I can put together a time delayed, trigger activated, 20 pound hex-tech explosive device in an afternoon coffee break, but a teenager in the city where genius literally falls from the sky can't make a latte to my specifications." Ziggs said to the Gauntleted woman who towered above him.

"Ziggs, what did I tell you about working on your projects in public? Especially in a crowded place like, I dunno? A shopping mall plaza?" Vi said, tapping her foot like she pulled him over for going through a crosswalk in one of those new automobiles, and not, as was the case because he a big enough bomb in front of him to kill himself, her, and level the pizzeria next door if anything went wrong.  

Ziggs waved her off with one hand, while the other was busy fiddling with his latest creation. "The way I see it if some humie can drag their typewriter in there and write some drivel that could end up rotting the brains of millions no one would even bat an eye. But if I, a consummate S.T.E.M graduate, works on an invention that could change the world and could only hurt eh, a couple hundred people at most really, then everyone gets up in arms." He flails an arm in mockery. "Ooooh no! He doesn't know what he is doing. He could blow us up!" He cackles, before casually ripping out a wire.

Vi couldn't help but flinch slightly when he ripped out the wire, "Hey listen, I know you know what you are doing. It's just this city is jumpy enough as it is, would it really kill ya to just keep this stuff at the academy."

 _If only._ He thinks.

At that being brought up, he scratches his head. "Wellllll... ya see that would be convenient and all, wouldn't have to drag my tools and materials everywhere. But I kinda... blew up my workshop."  

She narrows her eyes at him.

"It wasn't that bad. It'll only be outta commission for a bit, its why I've been doing this out here and all, can't exactly rent a temporary workshop in the middle of Piltover on my salary, and Zaun's still pissy about that "incident" a couple years back."

Vi rolls her eyes and sighs before pulling out a small notebook tucked under her belt. "Listen Ziggs, I asked Cait to handle this myself since we are buddies but you gotta stop working on this stuff around town." She begins putting pen to paper using her gauntleted hand as a clipboard. "Now, I gotta charge you with something or she'll never get off my back.... so here's a ticket for disturbing the peace." She rips it out and hands it to him.

"Aw come on!"

"Given that Cait would have booked you on charges of openly carrying deadly weapons in a public space, safety violations on the movement and assembly of volatile materials, blah blah blah, you get the idea."

"Fine." He took the ticket dejectedly. 

"Oh quit whining, I also coulda added assault for chucking that latte at that cashier girl."

"It was iced!"

"..And that's why I didn't have to." Concern takes over the renegade officer's face. "That wasn't exactly something I'd expect from you dude, everything alright?"

Suddenly Ziggs is all smiles again. "Heheh! Ziggs having a problem! Naw its, just ya know, my usual 'short fuse' routine heh."

"If you say so big guy." She starts walking away. "See ya dude, we still on for basketball this weekend?"

"You know it!" He waves her a goodbye as he begins to pack away his things. Onlookers in the mall are immensely relieved to see him doing so and appreciate being able to shop, knowing that they may not suddenly be caught in an explosion. 

 _"What am I going to do now!"_ He screams internally. _"Okay so the coffee shop was a stupid idea, the plan to do it in my office got shut down, damned safety codes, and my landlord is mad enough at me as is! What to do what to do!"_

 He begins to rattle on his fingernails as he loads the last of his equipment into his oversized backpack.  _"This project is the last chance I got at earning some grant money! Heimer is sure to fire me if I don't deliver!"_ He takes a moment to stare out to the vista that is Piltover when he saw pictures of this place he saw a glittering utopia of reason and intellect. The best the world had to offer and he, out of his own talent, got invited here. But between the fast pace, the incessant competition, and let's face it, soooaring cost of living. Was it really worth it?

He was in the middle of thinking about this. When he remembered something. Something important. It wasn't home in Bandle. And no it wasn't Rumble.

"Uh oh..." He looked at the nearest clock tower.

He had a class to teach.

And he was already half an hour late.

* * *

_"Gotta make it gotta make it!"_

He practically slid through the doors of the Yordle Academy of Sciences. The building was a sprawling testament to the scientific spirit of teamwork and cooperation. It did not just symbolize the cooperation between Yordles and Humans, although it was famed for having built a bridge between one of the most Warhungery and the most Isolationist race of Valoran in peace, but also all of the other great peoples of the world. Professors were split between Yordles and Humans who often co-taught classes but in the halls were students from across the world. Crowds of Young Adults and gifted Teenagers from Piltover, Demacia, Noxus, Bandle City, and even far off reaches like Ionia and the Freljord studied here together. In the central hall flags of every nation flew together beside the school flag. Symbolizing a grand ideal, peace, freedom and progress. 

It was a moving sight. And many visitors stood in awe of this, snapping photographs, and taking down travel notes. Unfortunately for them many of them were blindsided by the diminutive professor with enough high explosives on to kill a platoon of soldiers. He managed to trip three visitors who then immediately tripped another seven at which his hurried half hearted apologies did little to calm their annoyance. This inadvertently also created a traffic jam of students and faculty in the entrance that lead to several classes being canceled, which was met by the cheers of many students except for one girl named Sarah who rose her hand at every question that was asked by her professors and consistantly held a 4.0. She sat impatiently for over 20 minutes before finally deciding that it really was canceled and immediately made for the library to catch up on her homework.

Our story, however, is with the small Dean of Demolitions who burst through the door to his classroom, now forty-five minutes late.

"Hi everybody sorry I'm late!"

Predictably there was almost no one in the room. In fact, there was only one person, the last person Ziggs wanted to see at this moment.

"I'm afraid sorry isn't going to cut it this time." Said Heimerdinger, with a sigh of annoyance. 

Ziggs gulped and said several vulgar words under his breath. But he kept up his smile. 

_Gotta think of a way out of this._

_"_ Ziggnatus, I keep up with the records of every member of the faculty at this academy and while it pains me to say this, your attendance of classes as of late has been inexcusable."

"Come on Heimy. How many classes have I really missed?"

"The record stands at 17. Including your tardiness, the total amount of lectures you have missed or might as well have missed just last semester shoots up to 28."

Ziggs gulps again. "Well, that doesn't sound that bad." 

"Ziggs you are given your pay and standing here to administer 30 lectures a semester." 

Ziggs short fuse was almost up. "Well, **I** was never here to be a  **teacher.** I came here to be a  **scientist.**   **The entire reason you invited me here.** "

"I invited you here for the same reason everyone else is here. For the progress of science and reason. In order to progress, we must pass down our knowledge to others so they may continue the work of progress. It is just as vital as your research and development. If not more so." Heimerdinger responded, in the same matter of fact tone, as he used to address everything else. 

 

Ziggs thought he was talking like a know it all prick and wanted desperately to tell him as much. 

"As far as I am concerned, while your intellect is unique and appreciated, this not the decorum or professionality I expect out of a member of our academy, student or faculty."

"Did you just compare me to an undergrad?"

Heimerdinger didn't respond. "In light of this, and I am sorry to say this, the Academy will be suspending you and placing you on indefinite leave starting today."

The ticking clock within Ziggs went off and his eyes went red.

" **What."**

The Elder turned away from him. "It has been the opinion of the entire board of Arcane Sciences, for some time, that you had little place here given your eccentricities. We are here to provide to the world a positive view of Yordles, since we so rarely interact with the world of Humans the few of who do need to show the best traits of our entire species, the last thing we want to do provide any bad examples, as it would reflect poorly on the millions of others who may never interact with a human." Heimerdinger sighed. "If it helps any, know that I argued very firmly for a considerable time in your favor, I had to defend your research and behavior time and time again. However, I am afraid I couldn't keep doing it forever. Their decision is final, the vote was already cast."

When Heimerdinger turned he saw Ziggs bearing his usual smile, although this time it was unsettlingly bigger. He then said, calmly, "So what happens now?"

"I am afraid that being placed on suspension means your work visa in Piltover will become null and void within the week. As a favor, I had the Academy arrange transport for yourself and your belongings back to Bandle City. " He digs into his long overcoat and pulls out a ticket and hands it to the Dean. "Your boat leaves tomorrow morning."

"Okay." Ziggs took the ticket. He then looks Heimerdinger up and down. He started chuckling softly, the noise bouncing off the walls of the empty lecture hall. 

The Elder backed up slowly. "I will have you know that security is right outside those doors. Your situation is bad enough. I doubt that assault will make matters improve."

Ziggs smile grew wider, he then cracked his shoulders. "That is one thing that always struck me about you Heimy, you always expect people to take the most logical and reasonable action." 

 

* * *

 

 

Two minutes later, two human security officers pulled a rabid Ziggs off of a bruised and bitten Heimerdinger, who then took the time to search the lecture hall for the chunks of hair he was missing. He decided he was going to need more than tea and a good book to get to bed that night.

Outside the Academy, Ziggs was taken to a waiting squad car in handcuffs two sizes too large. As he passed the crowd of onlookers and confused students only one thought rang through his mind,

 _Worth it._  


	4. Entrapped

Ziggs didn't need to remove the blindfold to know who he was being carried by. The cold metal and the whirring sound of the gauntlets made it very clear who had taken hold of him. He would have loved to have given Vi his  _very colorful_ opinions on his current situation but the gag he had been given after he nearly took a patrol officer's ear off made it difficult to speak. 

Not that he had time. He had been taken in the most efficient manner to the monolithic building of police and public safety. A towering edifice to the motto of  _peace, justice, and progress_ _._ He was quickly led through a labyrinth of hallways of wood, stone, and marble before being shunted into a chair. As the blindfold was removed it was revealed he was sitting in front of none other than the sheriff of Piltover herself, she gazed at him like a dog that had pissed in her bed. A quick glance over to reveal a stern look but a more sympathetic face. 

The room they were in reminded Ziggs of the school detention office, it was spartan containing a sturdy metal table on the far end of the wall, a lamp bright enough to be uncomfortable but not so bright as to make vision difficult. He was sat on a human sized wooden chair that stood in front of two imposing chairs of metal. It wobbled slightly as his restless legs kicked out in front of him.

"Assault of an esteemed representative, resisting arrest, lewd remarks about an officer of the peace, threats against an officer of the peace, assault upon an officer of the peace." Caitlyn rattles off. "Officer Vi you may remove the mouth restraint."

 **"PTEW-** " Ziggs spat the restraint out as soon as Vi loosened the thing, "Who was the last guy you had here, and what was with his obsession with mustard?" He spits on the floor again. "Can I get a breath mint?"

"Yo, dude you got some pretty serious charges going on big guy, you might wanna cut it out in front of the stick in the mud over here," Vi says, her normal bad cop attitude was subdued but not quite under the radar. 

Caitlyn responded to that statement with a raised eyebrow and nothing more. "Now then. Since the charges are now on the table we can begin taking your side of the story."

Ziggs looks around, not saying a word. 

"Come on dude, you're gonna wanna cooperate with us. Let's just take your statement and we can get things moving along here."

Ziggs just stares at his friend in the force. Teeth beaming. 

Caitlyn snapped a finger got down to her knees and met the creature's gaze, watching his eyes through the haze of his goggles. The room was silent for a minute, Vi simply looked on both perplexed and annoyed.  

Sweat beaded down Ziggs forehead, a thin mist appeared on his goggles. Caitlyn appeared to have no strain at all. Ziggs dug his fingernails into the seat of the chair until finally...

" **Gah** , fine you win!" He said, blinking finally. "You are scary good at that."

Finally, she blinked, her voice remained her trademark coldness but with more than a hint of buried frustration. "That's it. Vi we are done here." She packed up to leave.

"Hey what about my lawyer?"

They both turned to stare at him.

"Um hello. Yes, that was kinda why I was stalling! I want a damn lawyer here."

Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. "Hm. So you can be serious." 

Ziggs scowls at the woman. "Well yeah I got arrested, ya know 'anything can and will be used against you' yadda yadda..." He looked at both of them paying special attention to Vi. "When Yordles like me went up and said. Hey  _we exist._ Everybody freaked out but you Pilties, you went all,  _peace and love and equality for all,_ well now ya gotta put your money where your mouth is. Ya arrested me and now I want a laywer and my mouth ain't movin a muscle till I get one." He went back to his trademark grin, wider than ever.

Caitlyn simply crossed her arms at him. "Then I am afraid to let you know there will be quite a wait for you. As of right now, there is a great debate going on at the station about how exactly you should be tried, given that you are neither human nor a citizen of our city. I imagine that debate will play out for quite some time before we can actually get you a lawyer." 

"So you took advantage of that and tried to corner me without..."

"Uhh, stick in the mud I think he has a point there."

"Well, it was worth a shot wasn't it?" 

Ziggs smirked. "Lemme know when you can uh... get me that rep. till then I'm gonna go get on the line to Bandle City and tell em exactly what I think of this little interrogation." He hopped off of the table and made for the door.

Caitlyn said nothing, just pinched her thumb and index finger in the air, and Ziggs felt a gauntleted arm close around the small of his neck. "Hey!" 

"Sorry dude." Vi looked apologetically down at the Yordle. 

Ziggs struggled with no success. "Don't say sorry just let me the fu.."   

"We still haven't sorted this whole business out." Caitlyn interrupted. "I will remind you that you did assault someone, so you will be held in the station until further notice and legal representation can be found." 

"Grr..."

"Vi would you be so kind as to escort him to his cell?"

Vi hesitated, looking down at her struggling friend then back at Caitlyn. "Cupcake, come on, do we really have to do this? Heimy didn't press charges yet..."

Caitlyn straightened her hair and started walking out of the room. "Vi you know as well as I that special treatment for those we... are friendlier with, is the path to corruption. You are a law enforcement professional, act like it." She kept her back to the officer and the door to the room closed as she left, leaving Vi with a Ziggs handing from her arm. He looked at her and gave his best shrug. 

* * *

"And here I thought you were gonna gimme a chance to bust out!"

Vi sighed as the door to the cell closed. "I said sorry! Look, dude, rules are rules, normally I'd do more but, ugh." In a fit of rage, she turned and punched the cold stone wall behind her.  

"And they say I got a short fuse." Remarking on the crater she left, two inches thick, and the cloud of crushed rock it kicked up. 

Vi retrieved her hand. "Gotta recalibrate this thing." She fiddled with the gauntlet's settings. "Listen, there's not much I can do for ya till they find you a lawyer but..." She scratches the back of her head. "Look, There's paper in there and a pen. Write to people, Yordles, whatever, whoever you know and I'll make sure it gets sent with the priority stuff from the station and I'll make sure you get whatever gets sent back. That's the best I can do."

Ziggs raised an eyebrow, "That's it? For all that?"

"And I'll try to butter up Cupcake. I don't know what has got her in this mood."

"And?"

She sighs. "I'll get you your coffee, from the right place, Caramel... whatever."

"Deal." 

"And you won't give us trouble."

"..."

"Much trouble."

"..."

"Come on gimme something here."

"Fine." They shook on it. Hand and Paw, hand thing, whatever. 

Then Vi left him alone. Ziggs all alone, no bombs, in a cold cell in the middle of Piltover with nothing but a pen and paper. 

"Well shit." He sat down on the cot they gave him.

"I wonder what Rumble's up to."

He started writing.

* * *

 A certain  **Comic** may have caused a delay in this chapter. Needless to say I was... suprised... good word suprised neutral word, yeah  _ **Suprised**_ in the direction the comic went regarding Yordles and their.... relationships....

 

...yeah.

 

Good News! This story needed a Villian and now I have a much better idea! 

Stay tuned!

 

 


	5. Busting Out

* * *

 

_Dear Rumble,_

~~_How the hell are ya_ ~~

~~_Guess who!_ ~~

~~_Its me!_ ~~

~~_Why haven't you_ ~~

~~_So I got arrested, again  
_ ~~

_Its been a long time hasn't it! Wow, I haven't heard from you since before I left for Piltover! Things are going..._

_g ~~reat~~_

_not so great actually. I've spent a lot of time very busy, teaching classes, inventing new deadly gizmos, all that junk. The humies aren't so bad either, I know a couple even you might even like._

_As for why I'm writing, things with Heimy...._

_~~didn't go well~~ _

_~~are all fucked~~ _

_went as best as you expected it to go._

~~_I failed_ ~~

~~_you were right_ ~~

_I don't really know what I'm going to do when I get back in terms of living._

_~~my~~ _

_~~he~~ _

_~~you know how he~~ _

_~~I don't know if he's even still~~ _

_You know how it is buddy. Either way I'm coming back and I miiiiight need to crash at your place for a bit. Ya know! Until the Pilties remember how boring their lives were without handsome old me!  
_

_And get the old gang together! We need to have a proper Reunion!_

_With Love,_

_Ziggs_

_PS. You still "hanging" with Trist? ;)_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

Ziggs finished the final letter by drawing several crude but well detailed doodles. Making sure to prominently depict him kicking Heimy in the groin with cartoonish levels of force. He signed off. Gently folded the paper up, and sealed the envelope. He sat up and waded through the sea of crumpled up papers that lined the prison floor.

 

Gently he planted the envelope on the small window where his meals came in.  

 

"Aha! Done. Man that was easy. Who says that writin' to your best friend that you haven't seen in years ain't easy?"

 

Ziggs then collapsed into the cot he was given and enjoyed the first sleep he had in the last two days.

 

* * *

 

Ziggs remembered opening the door and hearing the ever present sound of wrenches twisting, engines rumbling, and the old radio blaring Pentakill's latest single.  

He lifted the tray he was carrying up and taking in the rich flavor of the cheap coffee he had made for him and his friend, it blended seamlessly with the odor of motor oil and gasoline that filled the room. Tools lined one wall of the room in a kind of chaotic organization. Half of the spots for the tools were missing and could be found around the room on the various wooden and metal tables that they used for all manner of projects. In the center of the room was the current device they were working on, an old engine from an old model of one of those Flying Yippsnake Copters. He saw Rumble's feet on a wheeled board just underneath the contraption.

 

[He was about to say something when the song on the radio turned to the next track. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-mT9D4fdgQ)

 

_"Blinded by hate brought by the fall_  
As I swear death to all  
You will feel my vengeance  
As I claim your mortal soul!"

 

He tried to stifle a giggle as he heard a second voice, tinnier, singing along. He couldn't help it he had to hear the rest of this, he ducked back into the door frame and peered back into the room.

 

"I will punish and destroy  
Those responsible for this ploy  
I will seek a thousand deaths  
I will bring a thousand years of war!"

 

Rumble came into view, completely oblivious to him. He watched as he spun around to the other side of the engine he was working on, headbanging, but not letting it slow his work. This was hilarious enough for him, then the chorus came on.

Without breaking stride Rumble leapt onto the engine and sang into the wrench he was carrying.

"As the masses came  
Like a shadow through this land  
They laid siege to all we ever had  
I stood strong, I was honor bound  
I stand defiant, I stand ever proud  
I am the chosen  
I am the guardian, the guardian!"

 

Ziggs stood there and watch transfixed as Rumble danced and dived around the room. Rumble would take moments to pause and point at an imaginary crowd or power slide across the cement floor. Finally the finally came and he collapsed to the floor rocking a killer solo on the air guitar and when that final metal scream at the end of the song came he belted his best try.

And, in the cruelty that only true friends can do to one another, Ziggs chose that exact moment to flip the radio off. 

"Yahaaaaaaaaaa- What!?"

Rumble looked around the room in confusion until he saw Ziggs heaving with laughter on the floor.

"Encore, Encore!" The larger Yordle applauded between fits.

That was ended with a kick in the guts. "Ass." Rumble said, face red beneath blue fur.

Ziggs coughed. "You know it actually wasn't that bad."

"Shut up and let me get back to work."

"I was serious ya know, good pipes." He got up and dusted himself off. _Plus ya looked damned cute dancing around like that._

Wait what? Where did _that_ , come from. He hadn't ever...

"So did ya get the coffee?"

"Hm?"

"The coffee jackass!"

"Oh yeah! Just as you like it, burnt and black as charcoal. Still don't get why you like that crap." He handed him his #1 Mechanic mug.

"Why do you like putting all that other crap inside of it? I don't know about you but I like things the way they are, if I want coffee I want it to taste like coffee!" Rumble took a sip for emphasis, before sliding himself underneath the engine.

Ziggs shrugged, "Heh. Whatever you say." He tapped the side of the machine, "So ya think this will get us an A in Mr. Libowitz's class?"

"It better." Rumble said tightening a screw. "My grades could be better right now."

"Ya know if ya stopped sleeping in..."

"That what I got you for dingus! Who needs to show up when you'll give me all the notes?"

Ziggs gasped, "Is that all this relationship means to you? Using me so you don't have to go to school?" He began to sob wildly and buried his face in his hands, he didn't have to see to know Rumble was rolling his eyes. "Is that why you don't look at me anymore when we make love?"

He gave a laugh as he heard a sharp clang from under the engine in response, earning him a kick in the shins, "Did I mention lately you're an asshole?"

"Hehehe! Don't worry, I'm only kidding, I know the Galaxy Defender only has eyes for the one and only Tristana!"

He was smart enough to move his legs away, dodging the second kick. "Shut up."

"Oh don't act so surprised, everybody knows your obsessed over her. Its written all over your blushing face."

"Is not." Rumble said as plainly as possible. "And I'm not blushing."

_Liar. Hehehe!_

"So are you just gonna stand there all night, or are ya gonna help out?"

"Sure sure, just one second." Ziggs grabbed his tool box and their blueprints and went back to work.

They worked through the rest of the right, testing, lubricating, screwing, tightening, and firing. They finally called their project done just as the sun began to shine through the skylight. Too exhausted to walk home they collapsed onto the old oil stained couch.

"Whew! That was a long night." Ziggs said lounging on the couch.

"Least we finally got it done, Mr. L better be damn happy."

A thought occurred to Ziggs. "So uh. Have you considered this is really it."

"What are you talking about now?"

"I mean, we're seniors, this year is pretty much done already, we graduate... then what?"

Rumble cocked an eye, "What do ya mean then what? We come back here, test, invest, blow up what doesn't work out, make a bit of cash on the side repairing shit. Rinse and repeat, build up a reputation for being the best bandle has to offer. I thought that was your game plan too."

Ziggs rested his head up against the back of the couch. "I don't know _,_ this city's never been pretty keen on my _craft_ ya know. Not a lot of use around here for someone who is good at nothing but breakin' stuff."

"So screw em. I don't see what the big deal is, I ain't exactly popular around here either."

"But its like, I wanna perfect what I do, make the biggest bombs, the loudest booms! I wanna find people that are as excited about it as I am!"

"Dunno if you noticed but I get pretty hyped to burn stuff too."

"Yeah... I guess. But I wanna make a difference with it!"

Rumble paused taking in his friend's words. "Well, whenever wherever you find that chance, take it."

"Hm?"

"You heard me, follow your dreams, whatever it is I'll support ya. You'll get the chance someday, so don't let whatever someone might say, or think, stop ya from doing it. Now I'm gonna nap so..."

Ziggs pulled Rumble into a hug. "Your the best friend a raving lunatic like me could ask for!" He said giving him a rapid pat on the head.

To his credit Rumble didn't fight the affection simply muttering a quick, "watch the hairdo pal..." before they both fell into a snuggle on the couch. The two Yordle boys slowly began to drift off to sleep.

 

...

"Ziggs." Muttered a groggy Rumble.

"Ya?" Ziggs said, half awake.

 

...

 

"If you tell anyone about this I'll test my new flamethrower on you."

"That's my buddy."

* * *

 

 

 

Hours later, Ziggs stirred awake. Something felt off right away. He looked around and noticed that his cell had been cleaned while he was asleep, the letter was gone as well and in it's place there was...

 

He looked closer. It was pitch black in the cell but there was just enough light to make out the faint outline of something new in his "studio apartment". Someone had a small box just next to the door. It was light blue and wrapped with a pretty red ribbon. He drug himself out of bed and walked across the cold cement to the present.

 

A cold shiver went up his spine as he further examined the package. Tiny cartoon renditions of bullets and bombs riddled the wrapping paper.

 

_Oh no._

 

With uncharacteristic hesitance he undid the bow string. Inside was a tiny note reading simply "Look out your window."

 

"What window?" He said, glancing around his cell.

 

Suddenly he heard a large thud, large enough to shake vibrate through the cement and nearly knock him on his feet. He paused. Then a second thud followed by a crack. Suddenly the whole wall caved in, cinder-blocks falling to the way side and dust filling the room. Ziggs coughed and tried to wave away the smoke.

He could now see the backdrop of Piltover at night, he could hear the alarm bells and police sirens blaring. He saw light in nearby apartments coming to life and heard various announcements calling over loudspeakers. But none of that concerned him. What made him more fearful than any legal punishment or disaster might await was the woman standing atop the wrecking ball in front of him. She had a single, long, blue ponytail waving into the breeze. Her skin was pale and marked with dozens of tattoos and eyes that were like a burning building.

What she said to him was the last thing he ever needed to hear.

"Did you really think I'd leave my snuggle bear to rot in some mean lady's jail cell? Come on sugar! Lets have a night on the town!"  Said Jinx.

She pulled him in before he had a chance to scream.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I gots some explaining to dooo~
> 
> So usual excuses pretty much. Last year was my last semester at college and I had to put all of my focus towards it. I was also running a DND campaign and working on some original fiction. Now that the summer is here though, and I am done with school for good, you should see this update more. This ship gets so little love, so I feel it is my duty to at least provide something for it. 
> 
> As always please leave a comment for where I can improve. Thank you!


End file.
